Hello Everyone This is
Brad Hammarlund with
Exit Homevets Realty in
Killeen TX. I work with people looking to sale their homes and also with people who are looking for homes for sale in
Killeen TX, homes for sale in
Copperas Cove TX, homes for sale in
Harker Heights TX.
These 10 helpful Thanksgiving tips will
help you have a less stressful holiday. If it is your turn to host the
family feast, using these suggestions will help you enjoy the holiday
meal along with your guests.
Helpful Thanksgiving Tip #1
Get Organized
One
reason people get stressed over the holidays is because there is a lot
to do and it can be very overwhelming. If you break down the larger jobs
into smaller tasks, you will be able to accomplish more than you think.
You will need to plan your menu a few weeks in
advance. Once you know what you are serving, then you will need to make
your shopping list. If you are a sale shopper, take advantage of all the
great deals that take place in the supermarket during this time of
year. Oftentimes, you will get a free turkey just for doing your regular
food shopping prior to the Thanksgiving holiday.
Helpful Thanksgiving Tip #2
Delegate the Cooking
Just
because you are hosting a holiday it doesn’t mean that you have to do
all of the meal preparation. One of the most helpful Thanksgiving tips
is to let your guests bring some of the food. Most people want to help
and bring something for dinner. They are thankful that the holiday is
not in their house!
Depending on how many people are invited, assign
guests to bring appetizers and desserts. This way, you will only have to
deal with the main course and side dishes.
Helpful Thanksgiving Tip #3
Take Care of the Turkey
If
you wait until Thanksgiving morning to prepare the turkey, it is
probably too late. Depending on the size of the bird, you will need at
least two days to defrost the turkey in the refrigerator.
Make sure you have a large enough roasting pan.
One of my favorite ways to prepare turkey is to use a Reynolds Oven
Bags. They come in different sizes, including one large enough for a 20
pound bird. Reynolds Oven Bags also shorten the amount of time your
turkey needs to cook in the oven.
Helpful Thanksgiving Tip #4
Use Paper Plates and Plastic Utensils
For
many people, this helpful Thanksgiving tip may seem to be wasteful and
not “green“. For many, holidays mean using your good china and
silverware. However, many women work outside the home. They want to host
the holiday but not be chained to the kitchen cleaning up endless piles
of dishes. Depending upon your family, how much help you actually get
in the kitchen can vary.
By using paper plates and plastic, which are easy Thanksgiving table decorations,
you are saving a lot of cleanup time, as well as not dealing with
feelings of resentment. This helpful Thanksgiving tip can actually save
relationships.
If using paper does not go over well with your family, then at least use paper and plastic for dessert.
Helpful Thanksgiving Tip #5
Use Aluminum Pans for Serving
This
helpful Thanksgiving tip goes along the same lines as the fourth tip.
There is nothing worse than a sink full of dishes that need to be soaked
overnight. That means even your helpful guests will be unable to assist
you in the kitchen with clean up. By using foil pans that are bought
cheaply in the Dollar store, doing the dishes is as simple as tossing
the pans.
If you have some sentimental serving pieces that
you want to use, make sure you cook something in it that can clean up
easily. Or cook in the foil pans and put the food in your special
dishes. For every holiday, I always use the serving platters from each
of my grandmother’s china, as well as the turkey platter my father gave
to me.
Be sure to wash these special pieces before
Thanksgiving Day. My Nana used to write what each serving piece was for a
little slips of paper and place it on top of it. Today we can use
Post-it notes.
Helpful Thanksgiving Tip #6
Make Sure You Have Enough Seating
No
matter how big or small your home is, every guest needs a place to sit
at the table to eat the Thanksgiving feast. If you do not have enough
chairs and table space for everyone, you’ll need to borrow from family, a
friend or a neighbor. Family members who live nearby can bring tables
and chairs before Thanksgiving, or you can pick it up. You do not want
to wait until Thanksgiving morning to set the tables (see tip #9).
Helpful Thanksgiving Tip #7
Do Your Prep Work the Night Before
In
order to have a stress-free Thanksgiving meal, you should do all of
your prep work the night before. Any chopping, dicing, or slicing can
easily be done ahead of time. Many side dishes can be made in advance,
covered, and stored in the refrigerator until you need to cook it.
If you’re having a large amount
of people then you may want to take the day off from work, or at least
half the day. Your children can also help you with food preparation.
Helpful Thanksgiving Tip #8
Clean Only the Rooms You Will Be Using
There
is no reason to go into a cleaning frenzy just because people will be
visiting. If you are having 20 people over for Thanksgiving, imagine the
mess you will have to clean when they all leave.
Clean only important areas of your home that
will be used. Bathrooms should be scrubbed clean and dusted, and fresh
towels should be put out. End tables and coffee tables should be dusted
and floors should be swept and vacuumed. Any clutter should stored out
of sight. The kitchen should be cleaned up from your prep work and clean
dishtowels and sponges should be ready for guests to use at the end of
the meal.
Helpful Thanksgiving Tip #9
Set the Table in Advance
On
Thanksgiving morning, there is nothing more relaxing then having the
house ready for company. By setting the table on Wednesday night, all
you have to do is put your turkey and other food in the oven and wait
for it to cook.
Thanksgiving
is a time to think about everything in your life for which you are
grateful. The people who you invited, your family and your friends, are
what makes this holiday special. Make sure you keep everything simple.
Using these helpful Thanksgiving tips will make this day more meaningful and relax
Homes for sale in the Killeen Fort Hood Area: Brad Hammarlund, Realtor, with
Exit Homevets Realty in Killeen TX, Our main service area is
Nolanville TX,
Harker Heights TX,
Killeen TX,
Copperas Cove TX,
Kempner TX, and
Lampasas TX.
At Exit Homevets Realty We are Real Estate Expert Advisers And
Marketing Innovators. I am here to assist you with all of your real
estate needs. Feel free to call or text anytime: (254) 291-0630
